“You just had beer?”
I cast a look at my old friend. “Nope. Something about cum and pussy.”
He snorted. “Which was your favorite?”
Angling to look at him, I narrowed my gaze. “You a mind reader?” When his brows shot high in question, I shook my head. “Just, that’s a question I asked myself earlier, and I decided on the cum.”
Concern crinkled his forehead. “Why do I have a feeling we’re not actually talking about shots?”
“Just seemed, I don’t know, like telling or something.”
“I think it just means that the cream and the Baileys is creamier and sweeter, and I’ve seen how much creamer you take in your coffee, so it’s not a surprise. There a reason you’re reading more into this?” A beer appeared on the bar in front of Mark, but rather than sticking around, Blake moved away to the far side of the bar, giving us space.
“You tell me?”
Rather than answer straight away, he took a small pull of his beer. When he placed it back on top of the polished surface, he said, “I’m a counselor by profession, but I’m also your friend.” He tilted his head, examining me. “You know, as soon as I read about you and Sutton in the media, it was my idea to get you involved?”
I nodded. “I kinda figured.”
“You know why?”
“Because I’m the newest gay in town?”
Mark chuckled. “Funnily enough, no. I suppose I was curious, knowing you as I do, well at least as I did. How open you were to kiss me at college gave me a heads-up that perhaps you weren’t quite as straight as you thought. I’ve followed your career enough and have always known you and Sutton were tight. I suppose it made me wonder why Jayden Moore, confident, a little bit cocky, and a man who’s always been a hundred percent himself and honest, why he would keep such a big thing as an engagement to his best friend a secret.”
My stomach hollowed out, and I wasn’t sure if I was paling or my face was burning up. All I was sure of was that I lied for shit, and the thought of continuing to do so made me nauseous. Not willing or able to respond, I focused on my beer glass. Condensation dripped a long line, moseying on down, taking its time. It latched onto another drip, growing and building up speed.
It was exactly how I felt, like everything was rushing ahead and I had no idea how to stop it.
How could the best thing to happen in my life—namely falling for Sutton—have led me to this point?
“I saw the video.”
I slammed my eyes closed at his words. A weight pressed down on my chest, uncomfortable and restricting. “I imagine millions have seen it by now.” I wasn’t even being facetious. It was how social media worked. News outlets would be picking up the story and running with it sooner rather than later, and I expected some reporters would show up in town by the end of the day, since it was no secret Sutton and I had joined the training academy this summer. Hell, our team had supported it, heralded it, doing a whole PR focus on it.
“Maybe. I’m just wondering why you’re here and why Sutton’s on campus looking like someone kicked his puppy.”
A humorless snort escaped when I said, “Doesn’t take a genius to work that one out. Didn’t you know that video was from a few months back, which meant I was cheating on him?” I’d intended for my words to be dripped with sarcasm, but instead, they were low, quiet, and filled with my hurt.
“Something tells me you weren’t cheating on him.” His soft words caught my attention and drew my gaze back to his.
“How can you be sure?” Fuck, my eyes stung, chest felt tight.
“Because I know years have passed by since we last saw each other, Jayden, but you cheating on anyone is not in your DNA. What’s more, it’s clear you love Sutton. You were on your way to admitting it earlier when we spoke.”
“Why do you think that?” I asked, heart in my throat. “If he’s my fiancé, wouldn’t that be kind of a given?”
His unwavering gaze searched mine. “I think when you fall in love, you’d happily shout it from the rooftops and not keep it a secret for a year.”
I huffed out a breath and wiped a hand over my face. Despite all the nonsense battling it out inside my heart, a chuckle spilled out of me. “How the hell do you do that?” I shook my head. “Am I that predictable?”
A gentle look was aimed my way. “Only to those who know you. And I also know what love looks like.” He cast a quick glance toward Blake, his smile softening even more. “It’s also clear whenever you and Sutton see each other or even talk about each other.”
I nodded and took a fortifying gulp of beer. “I know how Sutton feels about me.” While he hadn’t come right out and said those three words, he’d pretty much bared his soul to me when he’d talked about why he’d kept his distance last season. “I’ve always loved him. It was just as a friend.”
“Until now.”
“Yeah, until now.”
